Sewing machine



July 6 1937. G. c cooPER 2,086,013

SEWING MACHAINE Filed Feb. 26, -1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1- EIGL- 1;

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29 55 2l w ze WITNBSES.- INVENTOR- @T2 l @Tomar C. 00011753'- PatentedJuly 6, 1937 stre-s Aren-@r Union Special Machine Company, Chicago,Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application February 26, 1935, SerialNo. 8,240

10 Claims.

This invention relates to sewing machines; and it has more particularreference to sewing machines with ruifling mechanism whereby tucks areformed in one strip of fabric concurrently with sewing thereof toanother fabric strip.

In conventional forms of ruffling sewing machines, the presser feet aremade solid, i. e., in one piece, and provided on their bottom faces atthe front with clearances which extend to a point well beyond the needleor needles of the machine in the direction of fabric feed, to receivethe advance edge of the ruifling blades. With this construction, it isimpossible to form small or skimpy tucks in the ruffle fabric.

The chief aim of my invention is to overcome the above mentioneddrawback. This objective I attain in practice, as hereinafter more fullyset forth, through provision of a presser foot having a heel componentpivotally connected with capacity for up and down movement, to thepresser bar of the sewing machine and subject to comparatively heavyspring pressure; and a toe component pivoted to the heel component andsubject to relatively light spring pressure with capacity to moveindependently up and down while cooperating with the ruling blade of thesewing machine in forming the fabric tucks.

Other objects and attendant advantages will be manifest from thedetailed description following of the attached drawings, wherein Fig. Iis a fragmentary front elevation of a ruiiling sewing machineconveniently embodying my invention, a portion of the head of themachine being broken out to expose important parts at the interior.

Fig. II is a fragmentary detail View drawn t0 a larger scale and showinga cross section of the machine along the line of fabric feed.

Fig. III is a fragmentary plan sectional View taken as indicated by thearrows III-III in Fi-g. II.

Figs. IV and V are detail sectional views taken as indicatedrespectively by the arrows IV--IV and V-V in Fig. III.

Fig. VI is a detail sectional View taken as indicated by the arrowsVI-VI in Fig. IV; andv Figs. VII and VIII are views like Fig. II withthe parts in different operative positions.

With more specific reference to these illustrations, I designates thethroat plate of the sewing machine which is supported by the base orwork table 2. Rising from .the base 2 is the usual gooseneck 3, whichterminates in a head d. Vertically reciprocative in the head l is aneedle bar 5, which in the Vpresent instance, carries two needles 6 atits lower end, said needles being aligned fore and aft of the machine.Operating in a transverse slot i of the throat plate I is a feed dog 8to-which the necessary movements are y imparted by mechanism (not shown)within the hollow of the base 2 to intermittently advance the work inthe direction of the arrows in Fig. VII. The rufing mechanism of themachine includes a longitudinally-extending rock shaft I with journalsupport in bearingsl Il secured by screws I2 to the side of thegooseneck 3. By suitable means within the hollow of the machine frame,the shaft I0 is rocked to impart vibratory motion to a pendant arm i3 atthe forward end thereof, whereto is pivotally connected at the bottomend at I i a holder I5 with an attached ruiiiing blade I6. This ruiilingblade .It is yieldingly urged downward. by a helical spring Il connectedat one end to an adjustable lug I8 on the pendant arm I3 and at theother end to the holder I5. The machine is furthermore provided with anupper fabric folder I9 which is supported by a fixed bracket arm. 2tsecured to the head d; and a lower fabric folder 2| which is secured tothe base 2 of the machine, said folders I9 and 2l being respectivelyconvergent toward the needles 6. Also secured to therbracket 2t is adivider plate 22 which serves to maintain the upperand r lower fabricstripsfF and F '(Figs. VII and VIII) directed through thefolders I9 and2I separated until they reach the needles 6. The parts thus fardescribed are of conventional design and con'- struction and arepertinent to my invention only insofar as they cooperate with the novelpresser foot which is about to be described.

Slidably guided in the head d is a vertical presser bar 23 which issubject to a relatively heavy leaf spring 2t within the hollow of saidhead. At its lower end the presser bar 23 is fitted with a shank member25 carrying the presser foot 2B, which comprises a heel component 21 anda toe component 28. As shown, the heel component 2l has a flathorizontal bottom portion 29, and a pair of transversely spacedupstanding horizontal iianges 39 which lap the sides of the shank member25, and which, at their forward ends,r are pivotally connected to saidshankmember by a fulcrum pin 3I. An adjusting screw 32 threadedlyengaged in an inclined tapped hole in the shank member 25, serves tolimit the amount of free -pivotal movement allowed the heel component 21of the presser foot about the fulcrum pin 3l, said screw being xable invadjusted posi- I tions by means of a jamb nut 33. The toe cornponent 28of the presser foot 2S has aflat bottom latter.

portion 35 which normally constitutes a continuation of the flat bottomportion 29 of the heel component, and a forwardly and upwardly inclinedfrontal portion 36. The toe component 28 is furthermore provided withlaterally-spaced horizontal arms 31, which are pivotally connected bymeans of screws 38 to the flanges 30 of the heel component 21 at therear end of the By virtue of this construction, the toe component 28 isgiven the capacity for pivotal movement independently of the heelcomponent 21, the upward movement of said toe component being yieldinglyresisted by a relatively light spring 39 which has a central loop 40 forpassage of a securing screw 4l engaged in the shank member 25 of thepresser bar 23, and lateral coils 42 which terminate in arms 43 thatbear downwardly on said toe component. edge of the portion 35 of the toecomponent 28 abuts against the front edge of the portion-29 of the heelcomponent 21 with the bottom faces of the two flush. As shown in Fig.III, the heel and toe components 21 and 28 of the presser foot areformed'along their abutting edges with longitudinally aligned notches 44and 45 which jointly constitute apertures for passage of the sewingneedles 6.

The upper face of the inclined forward send of the toe component 28 ofthe presser footis formed with a transverse slot 46, see Figs. III andIV, to receive the tongue 41 ofY a fabric edge guide 48. The tongue 41of the guide 48 is longitudinally slotted for passage of a clamp screw49 which serves as a means to secure the guide in different positions oflateral adjustment on the presser foot component 28.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The fabric F is directedthrough the lower folder 2| of the machine, and incident to passagetherethrough has a marginal fold M' (Fig. III) formed therein. Thefabric F is concurrently directed through the upper folder I9 and by thelatter formed with a marginal fold M corresponding to the marginal foldM' of the lower fabric F', the two fabrics being for a time maintainedin separation in the usual manner by the dividing plate 22. rIhe fabricF in Figs. VII and VIII passes Y perfectly fiat beneath the presser foot26 throughout the operation, While each time that the rufiling blade I6moves forward, it catches the upper fabric F at a point somewhat outwardof the toe portion 28 of the presser foot and by cooperation withA thelatter as in Fig. VII, forms a tuck T which it places beneath theportion 35 of said toe component, the latter yielding to upward movementunder the action of the spring 39 with attendant smoothing of said fold.During a slight dwell of the ruiiling blade I6 in its advanced position,the needles 6 descend and penetrate the newly formed fold T of the upperfabric F as well as the lower fabric F with attendant joining of the twostrips by the stitches formed with the needle threads as conventionallyshown in Figs. VII and VIII. After penetration of a new fabric fold bythe needles 6 the ruifling vblade I6 recedes, thereby permitting the toecomponent 2,8 of the presser foot to descend under the action of itsspring 35 to hold down the newly formed tuck while the work is advancedby subsequent action of the feed dog 8. Incident to this operation, theguide 48 on the toe component of the presser foot 25 operates to guidethe folded edge of the upper fabric F as it is passedto the needles 6.

Normally, the rear 1.`In a sewing machine, a fabric support; a

needle; means for intermittently feeding fabric on the support past theneedle; a reciprocating ruilling blade; and a presser foot with apivotallysupported main component and an independently yieldingsupplemental component pivotally connected to said main component andadapted to cooperate with the ruflling blade in forming tucks in thefabric during quiescent periods of the feeding means, and to hold downthe newly formed tucks after retractionl of the ruining blade and duringprogression of the fabric.

2. In a sewing machine, a fabric support; a needle; means forintermittently feeding fabric on the support past the needle; areciprocating rufling blade to form tucks in the fabric during quiescentperiods of the feed means; a presser bar subject to a relatively heavyspring pressure; and a presser foot comprising a heel component pivotedto the presser bar with capacity for up and down movement, and a toecomponent pivoted to the heel component and subject to a relativelylight spring for capacity to yield independently in receiving tuckssuccessively formed and advanced therebeneath by the ruifling blade forYpenetration by the needles Yand to hold the newly formed tucks afterretraction of the ruiliing blade and during progression of the fabric.

3. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising a heel componentpivotally connected to a supporting presser bar with capacity forvertical movement; a toe component pivotally connected to the heelcomponent on an axis different from the pivot axis of said heelcomponent for capacity to move independently up and down; and a t 5. Ina sewing machine, a fabric support; a i

needle; means for intermittently-feeding fabric onthe support past theneedle; a reciprocating ruflling blade to form tucks in the fabricduring the quiescent periods of the feeding means; a v

presserr bar subject to relatively heavy spring pressure; and a presserfoot with an upwardly inclined front end to cooperate with the ruiilingyblade -in forming the fabric tucks, said presser foot having a heelcomponent pivoted for up and down movement tothe presser bar, and a toecomponent pivoted to the heel component and subject to a relativelylight spring pressure with capacity to yield independently in receivingthe tucksrsuccessively formed and advanced therebeneath by the rufllingblade for penetration by l the needle, and to hold the newly formedtucks after retraction of the ruiliing blade and'during progression ofthe fabric. A

6. In a sewing machine a fabric support; a

on the support past the needle; a reciprocating ruiing blade to formtucks in the fabric during ,the quiescent periods of the feeding means;a

presser bar subject to a relatively heavy spring `G5 needle; means forintermittently feeding fabric pressure; and a presser foot with a heelcomponent pivoted for upV and down movement to the presser bar, and witha toe component pivoted to the heel component and subject to a Havingthus described myV inventionj claim; relatively light spring forcapacity to yield independently in receivingl the tucks successivelyformed and advanced therebeneath by the rufing blade for penetration bythe needle, and to hold the newly formed tucks after retraction of theruling blade and during progression of the fabric, said toe componenthaving an upwardly inclined front end to cooperate with the ruiilingblade in forming the fabric tucks, and a guard at one side to guide theedge of the fabric.

7. In a sewing machine, a fabric support; a needle; means forintermittently feeding fabric on the support past the needle; areciprocating ruiing blade to form tucks in the fabric during thequiescent periods of the feeding means; a presser bar subject to arelatively heavy spring pressure; and a presser foot with a heelcomponent pivoted for up and down movement to the presser bar7 and witha toe component pivoted to the heel component and subject to arelatively light spring for capacity to yield independently in receivingtucks successively formed and advanced therebeneath by the ruiilingblade for penetration by the needle, and to hold the newly formed tucksafter retraction of the ruiiiing blade and during progression of thefabric, said toe component having an upwardly inclined front end tocooperate with the miliing blade in forming the fabric tucks, and alaterally adjustable guard to guide the edge of the fabric.

8. In a sewing machine, a fabric support; a needle; means forintermittently feeding fabric on the support past the needle; areciprocating ruling blade to form tucks in the fabric during thequiescent periods of the feeding means; a presser bar subject to arelatively heavy spring pressure; and a presser foot comprising a heelcomponent pivoted for up and down movement to the presser bar, and witha toe component pivoted to the heel component and subject to arelatively light spring for capacity toyield independently in receivingthe tucks successively formed and advanced therebeneath by the ruillingbladefor penetration by the needle, and-to hold 'Y the newly formedtucks after. retraction of the ruffling blade and during progression ofthe fabric, and an adjustable set screw engaged in the presser bar forlimiting the movement of the heel component about its pivotal connectionwith said bar.

9. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising a heel componentpivotally connectedto a supporting presser bar with capacity forvertical movement; and a toe component, with an upwardly inclined frontend, pivotally connected to the heel component on an axis different fromthe pivot axis of said heel component for capacity to move independently11p and down; and a spring to yieldingly resist upward movement of theheel component.

10. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising a heel componentpivotally connected tov GRovER, c. COOPER.

